Encanto

Image credit: Wikipedia

Wow. It has been too long since I watched and reviewed a new movie. It’s disheartening that something I love so much is something that I just don’t seem to have enough time for anymore. But the other day, partner and I made time and we curled up on the couch for a fun time with Disney’s Encanto.

Encanto tells the story of a small community founded by a family that has been gifted with the miracle of a magic candle that spawned a magic house, which then grants magical gifts to each new generation. That is until the tradition is broken when Mirabel, eager to receive her magical gift, does not get one. Upon the gifting of her young cousin, Mirabel discovers strange cracks in the house’s foundation. Soon her family’s various powers begin malfunctioning and it falls to Mirabel to uncover the truth behind the fading miracle and save her family. 

Kind of like The Incredibles, but with magic, Encanto is a sweet and touching exploration into the family structure and the healing/devastating power of family ties. Brightened as it is by its magical themed plot and incredibly stunning and vibrant colour and animation, it’s actually a very adult film, dealing with themes of mental illness, generational gaps, and the ‘evils’ of some familial structures within certain cultures. It’s particularly interesting because there is no clear-cut, typical villain, the stress and anxieties poisoning the family actually stem from a difference in cultural and generational attitudes. 

The animation is staggeringly beautiful: bright and reminiscent of Moana, a voyeuristic escape into another world like a wondrous holiday. And then there is the soundtrack. An incredible blend of Latin and modern pop that makes each and every song catchy, moving, and memorable. You’ll absolutely be singing it for a week after watching the film. 

Image credit: CNBC

Encanto is another feather in Disney’s cap, which by this stage is 100 percent an elaborate Ziegfeld Follies headpiece that you can see from space! It’s visually, audibly, and narratively glorious and I would highly recommend you watch it. 

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, & Charise Castro Smith (2021)

Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitan, Diane Guerrero, Adassa, Wilmer Valderrama, Rhenzy Feliz, Maluma, & John Leguizamo